Tom Cruise's iconic 1949 Buick from 'Rain Man' goes up for auction

One of the iconic cars used in the 1988 film 'Rain Man' starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, is up for sale.

Auctioneers expect to get at least $80,000 for the 1949 Buick, which was left to Mr Cruise's character Charlie Babbit in the film by his dead father while his autistic brother, Raymond, played spectacularly by Mr Hoffman, inherited the rest of the family fortune.

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'For a true Hollywood collector or film buff, this is a plum prize,' said Margaret Barrett, director of entertainment and music memorabilia at Heritage Auctions, which is selling the vehicle.

'It is one of the great screen-featured automobiles from the 1980s from one of the best films of the decade.'

Starring role: In the film, pictured, the dead father of Charlie Babbit, played by Tom Cruise, left the vehicle to him while giving his brother, Raymond, played by Dustin Hoffman, the rest of his fortune

She added: 'This car is a crucial character in the film.

'The plot essentially revolves around this beautiful vehicle, making it more than just a piece of screen-used memorabilia.

'It's the catalyst for the entire movie – a movie for which Hoffman also won and Academy Award.'

Rain Man also won the Oscars for best picture, director and screenplay.

Winner: Dustin Hoffman, left, won an Academy Award for his performance and the film also won Oscars for best picture, director and screenplay

'Cruise's Charlie Babbitt is a high-end car salesman and the 1949 Buick figures large in his life as the one car he never got to drive as he was forbidden from it by his father,' said Ms Barrett.

'Once he and Hoffman connect, they set off on a cross-country adventure in the car, which is in virtually every scene, and the rest is Hollywood history.'